Religion and Medicine: Euthanasia and Abortion

Abortion
1. Muslim attitude
  1. Only Allah gives and takes lives
    1. Life should be treated with great respect
  2. No Muslim likes the idea of abortion
    1. It involves taking a life given by Allah so it is wrong
  3. A foetus is a life from the moment of conception
  4. Ensoulment
    1. Allah puts a soul into the foetus at 17 weeks
      1. Before ensoulment a mother has greater rights to her unborn child
        Abortion permitted before ensoulment if there is a compelling reason
        If the mother's life is in danger
        Abortion seen as lesser of two evils
        This is because the woman is already alive and has responsibilities within her family
        If she dies the foetus would die anyway
        Liberal Muslims might permit abortion if...
        The baby is likely to be born physically disabled
        The baby is likely to be mentally disabled
      2. The baby becomes human
        The baby now has human rights
  5. The Qur'an says that a mother will come face to face with a child they aborted in the afterlife
    1. That child will ask them why they were killed
      1. Therefore abortion is never taken lightly
2. Christian attitude
  1. Christians believe firmly in the sanctity of life
    1. They are against killing one of God's creations
  2. Some liberal Protestants believe that sometimes an abortion is the kinder option
    1. Jesus taught his followers that love is the most important thing
      1. In some cases it may be more loving to have an abortion
        If the baby will have a short, painful life
    2. If the mother is at risk
  3. Roman Catholics believe a person's life begins as soon as an egg is fertilised
    1. The baby has a right to life
      1. No one can take this right away from them
  4. An abortion should be carried out as early as possible
3. Pro-life
  1. People who do not agree with abortion because they believe the foetus has a right to life
4. Pro-choice
  1. People who believe the mother has a choice to an abortion
Euthanasia
1. Muslim attitudes
  1. Muslims believe euthanasia is wrong because it contradicts Allah's teachings about the sanctity of life
  2. The soul is always perfect and what matters to Allah
  3. Life is a test
    1. Allah is never unfair
      1. We can't know why a person suffers
        Anyone suffering should be treated with love and compassion
        Until the end of their natural life
        Muslims believe we are judged in the afterlife on how we treat those who are suffering
  4. It is alright to turn off a life support machine
    1. If the body would die naturally anyway
  5. Palliative care
    1. Best option for Muslims
      1. Involves controlling pain when healing is impossible
        At home surrounded by family
2. Christian attitudes
  1. God made human life higher than animal life
    1. Humans are made in God's image
      1. This means no one has the right to take a life
        Most biblical teachings lead Christians to think that euthanasia is wrong
  2. Liberal Christians
    1. For some it is acceptable to turn off a life support machine if the person is 'brain-dead'
      1. They believe the person is already dead
        The machine is just performing vital functions
    2. Some Christians consider withholding treatment when a person's quality of life is already very poor
      1. What matters most is if people are loving towards eachother
        Respect their decisions
  3. Roman Catholics
    1. Totally against euthanasia
  4. Hospices provide an alternative to euthanasia

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Religion and Medicine: Euthanasia and Abortion

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	Created by Keera almost 10 years ago